New Delhi: The Indian Space Association (ISpA) celebrated excellence across India’s fast-growing space sector by presenting the ISpA Industry Awards 2025 during the 4th India International Space Conclave (IISC 2025). The awards recognised standout achievements in areas such as Earth observation, geospatial intelligence, satellite communications, AI for defence, space sustainability, manufacturing, and academic research.
Alongside the awards, ISpA also released several key industry publications aimed at strengthening India’s space policy, startup ecosystem, and technological readiness. These include:
- “Enabling the New Space Economy: ISAM as a Pillar of Orbital Sustainability” — co-authored by ISpA and IIFCL Projects Ltd.
- “Valuation and Fundraising in Aerospace Startups: TRL vs. MRL — India’s Road to Space Industrialization” by Dr. Ravinder Pal Singh.
- “India DefSpace Symposium 2025 Technical Report” — jointly developed with Amity University.
- ISpA–SatSure Joint Paper: “India’s Sovereign AgriStack: Powering the Future of Agriculture from Farmers to the Cloud.”
Publications spotlight:
ISAM and Orbital Sustainability Report:
The comprehensive ISpA–IIFCL report positions In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) as central to a sustainable space future. It outlines pathways to extend satellite lifespans, reduce space debris, and develop new in-orbit commercial models. Drawing on global case studies — including NASA’s Hubble missions and Northrop Grumman’s MEV program — it presents strategies for India to become a leader in orbital sustainability. The report was supported by OrbitAID Aerospace and the UK Space Agency.
Aerospace Startup Valuation Framework:
Dr. Ravinder Pal Singh’s publication introduces a unified TRL–MRL approach to help startups, investors and policymakers assess innovation readiness, de-risk funding decisions, and align manufacturing with technological progress — a key enabler for India’s journey toward space industrialisation.
Agristack Joint Paper:
The ISpA–SatSure report outlines how geospatial intelligence and digital public infrastructure can modernise farming practices and support a sovereign, inclusive agricultural ecosystem.
DefSpace Symposium Technical Report:
This paper summarises insights from India’s flagship defence-space forum and offers actionable recommendations for strengthening national security through advanced space capabilities.
ISpA emphasises collaboration and national readiness
Highlighting the need for a robust, technology-driven ecosystem, Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General of ISpA, said the industry stands at a “historic crossroads” where innovation and strategic policy will shape India’s global space leadership.
He also noted that several companies recognised at the awards had played key roles in Operation Sindoor, underscoring the growing importance of indigenous space technology in defence operations.
“Through the ISpA Industry Awards and our new publications, we are nurturing excellence across technology, manufacturing, and policy,” he said. “The organisations and innovators honoured today are driving India’s transition from aspiration to acceleration.”